


The Limerick Silmarillion

by 2Nienna2



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Gen, Humor, Poetry, Retelling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:09:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23388538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2Nienna2/pseuds/2Nienna2
Summary: The Silmarillion, roughly paragraph by paragraph, as told through limericks. (In progress, currently just the Ainulindalë.)
Relationships: All Canon Relationships
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21
Collections: The Tolkien Decameron Project





	1. The Limerick Ainulindalë Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> All characters, plot points, etc... are from The Silmarillion and belong to J. R R. Tolkien, as do the phrases from The Silmarillion that are mixed in. I am merely playing with them for the sake d our enjoyment.

First there was Eru the one  
Other than him there was none  
He created the Ainur  
Made em' really diviner  
And suddenly felt overrun

Still, relieved that he wasn't alone  
As he sat on his not yet made throne  
The Ainur he told  
To make music unfold  
And beautif'lly they melded their tones

Into the depths and the heights  
The music unfolded in light  
Filling the void with all that would be  
Filling the dark with music, you see  
And Eru thought it was good and was right

One day in the distant unknown  
A greater music shall be played it is foretold  
Illúvatar's children joining in song  
Along with the Ainur, what could go wrong?  
But that is all we will speak of this now, so speak of it no more, and behold:

It came into the heart of Melkor  
To weave themes that were not in accord  
With the rest  
For he wished to be best  
And to rule Secret Fire evermore

Around him a discord was strewn  
Like dominoes fell the grand tune  
As floods and thunder  
Music torn asunder  
Eru must do something soon

By Eru a new theme was begun  
Like and unlike the previous one  
Sound rose up in war  
To contend with Melkor  
And the Ainur: they no longer sung

Yet another theme there was wrought  
Amidst the confusion t'was brought  
Unquenchable strength  
Sorrowful, soft yet intense  
As parallel themes still they fought

The one was in clamorous unity  
The other a solemn dance euphony  
As all notes seemed woven  
To the second themes motion  
Eru ceased the music, accentually

At last Illúvatar spoke  
The themes that were played he shall evoke  
And the Ainur will see  
All has it's source in me  
Said the One who's design none can revoke

"Behold your music!", Eru said  
And the Ainur looked where they'd been lead  
World unfolding anew  
From their music it grew  
As they watched the paths history would tread


	2. The Limerick Ainulindalë Part 2

Still not all can be seen by their force  
As time's river changes it's course  
By the fashions of Eru  
Each age brings change anew  
Unknown to the Ainur before

Surprising were the Elves and Men  
The Ainur were thinking that when  
They entered  
It would NOT be absurd  
To have creatures so different from them

Although the world may seem small  
Compared with the great Timeless Halls  
Beauty untold  
It's lowness can hold  
And to many of them it did call

Melkor truly wished to go  
But he wished it for reasons quite low  
To be called lord  
And rule over the world  
Melkor thought would be quite apropos

All on which the world is made  
Was looked on and found truly great  
Water loved most of all  
Disquieting it calls  
With echoes of Music turned fate

To the waters Ulmo did turn  
While Aulë t'wards the deep earth was borne  
Manwë took to the airs  
Finding joy in its cares  
And none were remotely forlorn

As their minds were filled with this new world  
Suddenly the darkness unfurled  
Ceasing the vision  
They were so enraptured in  
And the Ainur looked glum and quite churned

Eru said,"I know what you desire,  
These things shall Be, by Secret Fire"  
Imperishable flame  
"Ëa!" he exclaimed  
Arda; distant light becoming brighter

Some of them did choose to stay  
While others went off on their way  
To enter Ëa  
With all of their fëa  
And be bound to it though come what may

Those who entered were after called Powers  
Yet they found their vision mere thought-flowers  
A world barely wrought  
To achieve it their lot  
The Valar labored many hours

They worked through the ages untold  
Shaping Arda for the Children to behold  
Yet all that they worked towards  
Through all that they moved forward  
Melkor would try to remold

Melkor coveted the world for his own  
Manwë saw his selfish undertone  
Calling to lesser spirits  
Many of them did hear it  
And allied with Manwë, Arda now their home

"To take this for your own I can't allow  
For others have worked no less than thou"  
Said Manwë to Melkor  
And there was strife, therefore:  
Melkor left and's in other regions now

Physical forms the Valar did take  
Designed after the Children they await  
For you should know,  
Bodies are like clothes  
To whom visible form is not innate

Gender was before they were visible  
For such is of the fëa integral  
And just as our raiment  
Can show sex yet doesn't make it  
Such was it with the Valar mystical

Melkor saw that the Valar were clothed  
And walked in a garden-like world  
And so form he took  
Dark and terrible in look  
And yet majestic and hard to loathe

Upon Arda Melkor descended  
Piercing ice and fire; power splendid  
With the Valar he fought  
Dominion of Arda he sought  
The Elves know little of this age long amended

All the land that the Valar did build  
All the valleys hollowed, seas filled  
Melkor would corrupt  
Or undo and disrupt  
So that naught could be lasting of their skill

Although it is not without mar  
At last was our dwelling made near and far  
For the Children of Eru  
In the deeps of time was hewed;  
Arda amidst innumerable stars


End file.
